ABSTRACT
Menomini and Maasai illustrate that not all blocking phenomena can be explained by referring to specifications of the harmonic feature alone. This chapter presents data from two languages which pose a problem for the analysis of harmony sketched. In each case, the segments that block harmony do not appear to bear a specification for the harmonic feature at the time harmony applies. The chapter argues that these are parasitic harmony systems, in which harmonic spreading is dependent on both the trigger and target being multiply linked to some contextual feature. In parasitic harmony, an additional class of blocking segments is created by the presence of segments which do not bear the appropriate contextual feature. Primary Round Harmony is seen to be parasitic on prior application of Back Harmony, which creates the multiply-linked contextual structure. While the analysis of General Harmony as parasitic on a linked configuration does explain the opacity, it is not the only explanation.
